title: Maxillofacial prosthesis in a palliative care for terminally ill patient with squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: It is the god given right of every human being to appear human. - Ernest L. DaBreo. A 55-year-old man with combined surgical and radiation therapy for buccal mucosa required the prosthetic rehabilitation for full thickness facial cheek defect. Apart from the aesthetics concerns, he had several oral debilities like difficulty in speaking, eating and swallowing. Though the carcinoma is known for high rates of morbidity and mortality, it is an obligation of a prosthodontist to help the patient to have a dignified and normal social life for their remaining lifespan. Palliative dental care's main focus is to re-establish the quality of the remaining life, in addition to the alleviation of physical and psychological suffering of the far-advanced disease patients. This case report summarises the importance of maxillofacial prosthesis in a postoperative malignancy and palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Assir, Saudi Arabia. hb_satheesh@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Satheesh B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Haralur
authors.forename: Farhan K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008447:Maxillofacial Prosthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D019452:Terminally Ill; D016896:Treatment Outcome